WDIV News LIVE Studio

[gthomas]

I had an idea for the News station, the gold building a.k.a "Detroit Federal Savings and Loan Association Building" on Woodward next to the Guardian Building. How about relocating the Morning Show and "Live in the D" @ 11am to broadcast LIVE in this building, looking over Woodward Ave. It has a plaza in front [[that can be remodeled) for pedestrians to overlook on what's going on the inside.



It's hard trying to market this building, I've always thought about "what can be here"? It's just enough space to have a small studio space, outdoor concerts etc. Replace the gold facade for a more open airy glass wall with plenty of large plasma's and a wrap-around marquee. I will take this plan over being demolished, what do you think?

Also, weren't their plans from the state to put two football field size t.v screens on the facade before? Being THE only News broadcasting station downtown, their presence should be known, be part of the excitement that is occurring.

Here's a few example from other Downtown News stations:

[Ben]

This is a good idea. That building is kind of hard to fill. My daughter would call it "the foil building" when we were downtown. I always thought that the building was the epitome of the 1980's.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I wish channels 2 & 7 would move downtown. One reason they might not is that all broadcasters spent many millions retro-fitting their existing facilities in recent years to accomodate digital technology. It would have made sense to move at the same time they were retrofitting. Broadcasters would make great tenants downtown. The are high profile, bring visitors, have employees coming and going 24/7 [[although, of course, most of the staff works standard business hours).

[JBMcB]

Television studios are *really expensive* They have special sound-insulating walls, floors and ceilings, webs of specialized power and AV drops, HVAC systems with sound deadening baffles, seamless and perfectly level floor panels for moving cameras around, lighting scaffolds, and custom-built control rooms. Then, if you want a pretty window outside, specialized thick paned anti-glare sound deadening windows.

Retrofitting a studio into an existing structure is basically the same cost a building a new one. You're going to have to strip out *everything* - take it down to stud and rip out all plumbing, electrical, and HVAC and start from scratch.

[Vic_doucette]

Television studios are *really expensive* They have special sound-insulating walls, floors and ceilings, webs of specialized power and AV drops, HVAC systems with sound deadening baffles, seamless and perfectly level floor panels for moving cameras around, lighting scaffolds, and custom-built control rooms. Then, if you want a pretty window outside, specialized thick paned anti-glare sound deadening windows.

Retrofitting a studio into an existing structure is basically the same cost a building a new one. You're going to have to strip out *everything* - take it down to stud and rip out all plumbing, electrical, and HVAC and start from scratch.

And after you're done spending all those millions of dollars -- not to mention the expense and engineering hassle of getting your signal back to your transmitters in Southfield/Oak Park, nothing you've done will guarantee you one additional viewer or one additional advertiser.

If you were flush with cash, it could happen. But with the current state of the broadcasting economy, this won't happen. Period.

[Vic_doucette]

We discussed this at length in 2012.

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...-not-our-media

[313WX]

I wish channels 2 & 7 would move downtown. One reason they might not is that all broadcasters spent many millions retro-fitting their existing facilities in recent years to accomodate digital technology. It would have made sense to move at the same time they were retrofitting. Broadcasters would make great tenants downtown. The are high profile, bring visitors, have employees coming and going 24/7 [[although, of course, most of the staff works standard business hours).

Part of the problem with Channels 2 & 7 would be the commute for the staff.

At least with WDIV, their A-Team lives in the city [[Carmen Harlan lives in Indian Village) or the inner ring suburbs [[Chuck Gaidica lives in Farmington Hills).

Most of the crew at Channel 2 & 7 live in outer ring suburbs. So it would be a much longer commute to/from downtown Detroit for them

[iheartthed]

And after you're done spending all those millions of dollars -- not to mention the expense and engineering hassle of getting your signal back to your transmitters in Southfield/Oak Park, nothing you've done will guarantee you one additional viewer or one additional advertiser.

If you were flush with cash, it could happen. But with the current state of the broadcasting economy, this won't happen. Period.

Investments are never guaranteed. However, if a local news show wanted to do something more original to compete against another local news show then that would be a good idea. But the real reason this probably won't happen is that there is only one completely local morning news program in Detroit. The rest of the stations syndicate their respective network's national shows from New York.

[Hypestyles]

hopefully some all new investors can start up an independent broadcasting station downtown.

[JBMcB]

hopefully some all new investors can start up an independent broadcasting station downtown.

TV production *can* be done on the cheap. A podcast network I listen to regularly built a video podcasting studio for a few hundred thousand dollars, which is nothing compared to a full blown professional TV studio. You get prosumer grade cameras, jerry-rig your sound dampening, use a Newtek Tricaster and off the shelf computer hardware for switching and you'll have something approximating the quality of an old UHF channel studio. A major network would never hack together a studio like that, but some new upstart might.

A more likely scenario would be a new station moving into the old WTVS studios in midtown. Anyone know if anything is being done with those?

[Vic_doucette]

I don't know what is going on with the old Channel 56 studios. I know Detroit Public Television left them because the would have to be torn up and replaced with the necessary equipment for HDTV. Moving into the Novi studios formerly occupied by an HDTV production company that went belly-up was a better use of funds.

You'd have to spend millions to re-do the place. And where would you put the signal when you were done?

There's no available over-the-air frequency available in the Detroit market. You'd have to lease time on one of the subchannels from one of your competitors. Do you think Channels 2, 4, or 7 would lease a subchannel to someone trying to take away viewers and advertisers from them? Good luck with that.

There are a few low-power OTA stations in Detroit -- they have weak signals and crappy equipment and are mainly renting time to people pimping for Jesus. They'd probably take your money if you wanted to buy time from them. Whether you could make enough cash to staff the place, pay everybody on time and have enough left over to pay yourself is the question.

[JBMcB]

I know Detroit Public Television left them because the would have to be torn up and replaced with the necessary equipment for HDTV.

That doesn't make much sense. Maybe the downlink dishes from PBS needed to be swapped out, but upgrading to HDTV involves new cameras and new switching equipment, and new cables connecting them together. You don't need to gut the studio. I could see that, back then, it would be pretty expensive, but nowadays HD gear is cheap, especially if you are flexible in the quality department. I guess a dedicated fiber line to the tower would be expensive, but they'd have to do that in Wixom, anyways. If you want internet, they are running a fiber trunk when they tear up Woodward for the rail [[credit to my friend, it was his idea) That's a block away, which shouldn't be that expensive to wire.

You'd have to lease time on one of the subchannels from one of your competitors. Do you think Channels 2, 4, or 7 would lease a subchannel to someone trying to take away viewers and advertisers from them?

Don't they do that now? WDIV carries ThisTV, and WXYZ carries Bounce.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

313WX, I suspect you are correct about where the TV staffs live, but I don't think that would be a big factor in their deciding not to move downtown. First, each station has grown a much younger [[and cheaper-working) staff in recent years. Downtown would be more appealing to those people. Also, in a notoriously shrinking industry [[station consolidations, farming out traffic/weather/sports, sharing reporters with stations in other cities, corporate consolidation of tech, programming & admin functions, etc), it's not like everyone can afford to be picky about where they work. Every station in town has fewer staff [[on and off the air) than they did 10 or 20 years ago.

I think the cost of building out studios and production facilities is the main inhibitor of moving any station. The plus side to moving a studio to Detroit would have 3 main selling points:

1) Downtown studios and offices would provide greater visibility for the station, and make them seem more like a part of the community. If everyone going to the theatre or a game downtown also saw the "WXYZ Building" or "Fox 2 Studios" it could help build brand loyalty over time. Far better than a highway billboard promoting the Five O'Clock News.

2) By far, Detroit is the place that makes the most news in our market. Being near the stadiums, courthouses, city hall, GM HQ, etc means your reporters and photographers are always physically close to the news.

3) Downtown Detroit at this point is home to more companies that advertise on TV than any other single place in the area, and that number is likely to grow. Building a long-term relationship with advertisers is key to a station being profitable. Being a friendly neighbor can benefit that.

That all having been stated, I think the leaders of the local stations would find it a tough sell to convince their bosses that the upfront many-million dollar investment is warranted. Had Detroit been in it's current [[downtown) growth mode before the switch to digital, I think they would already be located downtown. Now it's much less likely.

[gthomas]

313WX, I suspect you are correct about where the TV staffs live, but I don't think that would be a big factor in their deciding not to move downtown. First, each station has grown a much younger [[and cheaper-working) staff in recent years. Downtown would be more appealing to those people. Also, in a notoriously shrinking industry [[station consolidations, farming out traffic/weather/sports, sharing reporters with stations in other cities, corporate consolidation of tech, programming & admin functions, etc), it's not like everyone can afford to be picky about where they work. Every station in town has fewer staff [[on and off the air) than they did 10 or 20 years ago.

I think the cost of building out studios and production facilities is the main inhibitor of moving any station. The plus side to moving a studio to Detroit would have 3 main selling points:

1) Downtown studios and offices would provide greater visibility for the station, and make them seem more like a part of the community. If everyone going to the theatre or a game downtown also saw the "WXYZ Building" or "Fox 2 Studios" it could help build brand loyalty over time. Far better than a highway billboard promoting the Five O'Clock News.

2) By far, Detroit is the place that makes the most news in our market. Being near the stadiums, courthouses, city hall, GM HQ, etc means your reporters and photographers are always physically close to the news.

3) Downtown Detroit at this point is home to more companies that advertise on TV than any other single place in the area, and that number is likely to grow. Building a long-term relationship with advertisers is key to a station being profitable. Being a friendly neighbor can benefit that.

That all having been stated, I think the leaders of the local stations would find it a tough sell to convince their bosses that the upfront many-million dollar investment is warranted. Had Detroit been in it's current [[downtown) growth mode before the switch to digital, I think they would already be located downtown. Now it's much less likely.

I like you, you think like I do. This only make sense, this is why I don't understand why they are located so far out. Much of their stories are from here. I really hope my plans for a "Today Show" is located in that gold building. It just fits and prone to get better ratings and presence by being on Woodward. Most people I talked to didn't know WDIV News was downtown...that's ashame.

Remember when the "Today Show" broadcast live from Campus Martius a few years back...you see how it attracted people from all over and brought people Downtown. I was down there, it was so much fun and kind of sad that they were more popular than our local newscasters.

If Channel 2, 4 and 7 wants to become a positive asset and gain popularity, my plans is the way to go. We need more creativity in this region, it's kind of dry and boring.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I like you

Well, I'm single, Saggitarius, fair skinned... Oh, you didn't mean that...

I think "visible" studios can be neat, and an asset to both the station and the neighborhood. But I don't think they would attract much in the way of crowds. Some passersby will peek in, of course. National media brings a "celebrity" factor not really present with local news people. I remember as a kid Mort & Carmen, Bill Bonds, Eli Zaret, etc were like gods. I don't think people have that kind of reaction now. Since we have so many "celebrities" nowadays, most of them aren't very intriguing unto themselves. Most local TV people are not the rich and famous anymore. A "see through" studio where people can see in and the cameras can see out, looking at the city going about it's business, is better than setting a stage for a "crowd" like the Today Show may have brought. But I agree entirely gthomas, a more visible media presence downtown is a win-win situation for the station and downtown.

[SDCC]

Very few people stand and stare into the heavy tint windows to see what’s going on inside the NBC Studio in San Diego, I have to stand right in front of the glass to see inside. The location is a busy downtown area, right on Broadway Street, adjacent to the Federal complex of buildings and Horton Plaza - our downtown mall [[open air plaza)

[gthomas]

Well, I'm single, Saggitarius, fair skinned... Oh, you didn't mean that...

Lol hahahaha, I really like you now. Your funny and have sense of humor.

I think "visible" studios can be neat, and an asset to both the station and the neighborhood. But I don't think they would attract much in the way of crowds. Some passersby will peek in, of course. National media brings a "celebrity" factor not really present with local news people. I remember as a kid Mort & Carmen, Bill Bonds, Eli Zaret, etc were like gods. I don't think people have that kind of reaction now. Since we have so many "celebrities" nowadays, most of them aren't very intriguing unto themselves. Most local TV people are not the rich and famous anymore. A "see through" studio where people can see in and the cameras can see out, looking at the city going about it's business, is better than setting a stage for a "crowd" like the Today Show may have brought. But I agree entirely gthomas, a more visible media presence downtown is a win-win situation for the station and downtown.

Isn't having a cohesive, thriving, visible and attractive businesses and building part of the whole "urban" lifestyle. The main reason why people choose urban or suburban? Cities like Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Cincinnati and others are jumping on the band wagon to either build or expand in urban downtowns. They understand how it benefits the business and the community and is taking action. Chicago, New York, Atlanta, San Diego and L.A is already established downtown and is doing better than their other local news stations.

Why are we always last to make things happen in this city, we need to look at other cities and see how great these things can be to the region. It's bigger than having a building filled with cameras and newscasters. It brings and add to the excitement, it's interactive and it's fun to see how things work "hands on" behind the scene. People gets excited when cameras are around and being seen on tv walking pass the station from the outside. It's all about "VISIBILITY". That should be our goal in Detroit...and aesthetic.

[gthomas]

SDCC, that's the issue..."Heavily TINTED windows" doesn't work, what's the point? My plans is to have clear, open, airy glass facade. Have you been to Chicago ABC 7 studio downtown? I can see all in the studio, even being across the street. You can even smell the perfume from one of the anchors, I can damn near touch them if the glass weren't not there.

[Danny]

So Live at the D wants be like Rockefeller Plaza! Go luck with that.

This will be day " FROM CHANNEL 4 NEWS, THIS IS LIVE AT THE D. WITH DEVIN SCILLIAN AND RHONDA WALKER, LIVE IN STUDIO 1A IN DAN GILBERT PLAZA."

[Baselinepunk]

Applaud the spirit of this idea.

I think it would really work out well if, over the years, Detroit TV production wasn't gutted. I'm imaging what Kelly and Co. would have looked like with this type of approach.

However, 2, 4 and 7 have a lot of work to do. All three are really weak when it comes to providing content. Folks like Walker are irritating at best -- I don't know whose idea it was to bring someone in to coach 4's talking heads in their cadence and enunciation but it really sucks and they should loose their job. Friggin' Podell is like nails on a chalk board now. These late morning local shows look forced, have ZERO chemistry and lack quality content.



Bring up production quality and folks other than Richard swingers will be outside the window waving at Mom back home in Bloomfield Hills. Until then, let's just sit back and watch the 4th Estate in this town slowly crash and burn ....

[DetroitPlanner]

SDCC, that's the issue..."Heavily TINTED windows" doesn't work, what's the point? My plans is to have clear, open, airy glass facade. Have you been to Chicago ABC 7 studio downtown? I can see all in the studio, even being across the street. You can even smell the perfume from one of the anchors, I can damn near touch them if the glass weren't not there.

I don't like that facade. They ruined a beautiful Terra Cotta building for that!?!. That is today's version of the cheesegrater cover-up.

Regardless this building has little use. It does not conform to ADA. It is also pretty ugly. The county owns it and at one time was talking about using the space for a parking structure though I can't see how useful that would be being that the site is very narrow. Perfect size for a Tim Horton's drive through though. [[Yes I am kidding folks)

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

However, 2, 4 and 7 have a lot of work to do. All three are really weak when it comes to providing content.

I think all 3 Detroit stations are better at providing original content than most local TV affiliates stations. I'm not saying they have the strong, local-centric programming that stations once did, but really nowhere does. And all 3 produce more original local stories than most stations anywhere, I bet, including bigger cities. 20 years from now, I would be surprised if there is anything resembling local news on television; I think you will just download content that appeals to you. WWJ-TV is more the model that stations will replicate: no local programming costs. I'm not advocating that, just saying that local news and programming is shrinking everywhere.

[rjlj]

Good idea!! Too bad the new building that will be built on the Monroe Block has not taken this into consideration. There could be a studio over looking Campus Martius like Columbus Circle in New York City.

I had an idea for the News station, the gold building a.k.a "Detroit Federal Savings and Loan Association Building" on Woodward next to the Guardian Building. How about relocating the Morning Show and "Live in the D" @ 11am to broadcast LIVE in this building, looking over Woodward Ave. It has a plaza in front [[that can be remodeled) for pedestrians to overlook on what's going on the inside.

It's hard trying to market this building, I've always thought about "what can be here"? It's just enough space to have a small studio space, outdoor concerts etc. Replace the gold facade for a more open airy glass wall with plenty of large plasma's and a wrap-around marquee. I will take this plan over being demolished, what do you think?Also, weren't their plans from the state to put two football field size t.v screens on the facade before? Being THE only News broadcasting station downtown, their presence should be known, be part of the excitement that is occurring. Here's a few example from other Downtown News stations:

[Gistok]

Rjlj... you must have been reading my mind... ON Campus Martius would be a better location than just on Woodward Ave. for such an endeavor. More foot traffic.

DetroitPlanner... I saw that... they did a facade-ectomy on the first floor with floors 2 and above retaining the original architectural details. Maybe the city of Chicago forced them to carefully remove and save the original parts... although that would require forethought...

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

With 3 local stations producing news, there is room for more than one downtown studio. I think the Statler site on GCP would be a nice location; you could have a 3rd floor studio with a wide view of the statiums. On the Freep Building looking up Washington Ave. Or on CMP. I am sure there are good spots, too, that none of us have thought of. There are an abundance of good possibilities. An development downtown that screams "we're here" by any of the stations is a net plus. From their perspective, they will have a lot of tech requirements in the space [[soundproofing and lots of other stuff), and a need for newstruck parking, satellite equip, etc.